Human Agency and Divine Will

Human Agency and Divine Will PDF

Author: Charlotte Katzoff

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-05-26

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 1000089177

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This book explores the conjuncture of human agency and divine volition in the biblical narrative – sometimes referred to as "double causality." A commonly held view has it that the biblical narrative shows human action to be determined by divine will. Yet, when reading the biblical narrative we are inclined to hold the actors accountable for their deeds. The book, then, challenges the common assumptions about the sweeping nature of divine causality in the biblical narrative and seeks to do justice to the roles played by the human actors in the drama. God's causing a person to act in a particular way, as He does when He hardens Pharaoh's heart, is the exception rather than the rule. On the whole, the biblical heroes act on their own; their personal initiatives and strivings are what move the story forward. How does it happen, then, that events, remarkably, conspire to realize God’s plan? The study enlists concepts and theories developed within the framework of contemporary analytic philosophy, featured against the background of classical and contemporary bible commentary. In addressing the biblical narrative through these perspectives, this book holds appeal for scholars of a variety of disciplines – bible studies, philosophy, religion and philosophical theology — as well as for those who simply delight in reading the Bible.

Divine Providence and Human Agency

Divine Providence and Human Agency PDF

Author: Alexander S. Jensen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-05-13

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1317148878

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Divine Providence and Human Agency develops an understanding of God and God's relation to creation that perceives God as sovereign over creation while, at the same time, allowing for a meaningful notion of human freedom. This book provides a bridge between contemporary approaches that emphasise human freedom, such as process theology and those influenced by it, and traditional theologies that stress divine omnipotence.This book argues that it is essential for Christian theology to maintain that God is ultimately in charge of history: otherwise there would be no solid grounds for Christian hope. Yet, the modern human self-understanding as free agent within certain limitations must be taken seriously. Jensen approaches this apparent contradiction from within a consistently trinitarian framework. Jensen argues that a Christian understanding of God must be based on the experience of the saving presence of Christ in the Church, leading to an apophatic and consistently trinitarian theology. This serves as the framework for the discussion of divine omnipotence and human freedom. On the basis of the theological foundation established in this book, it is possible to frame the problem in a way that makes it possible to live within this tension. Building on this foundation, Jensen develops an understanding of history as the unfolding of the divine purpose and as an expression of God's very being, which is self-giving love and desire for communion. This book offers an important contribution to the debate of the doctrine of God in the context of an evolutionary universe.

Paul and Judaism Revisited

Paul and Judaism Revisited PDF

Author: Preston M. Sprinkle

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Published: 2013-08-01

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 0830827099

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How far did Paul stray from the view of salvation handed down to him in the Jewish tradition? Following a hunch from E.P. Sanders's seminal book Paul and Palestinian Judaism,Preston Sprinkle finds buried in the Old Testament's Deuteronomic and prophetic perspectives a key that starts to turn the rusted lock on Paul's critique of Judaism.

The Freedom of the Will

The Freedom of the Will PDF

Author: Jonathan Edwards

Publisher: Good Press

Published: 2023-12-02

Total Pages: 293

ISBN-13:

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This eBook has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. The Freedom of the Will is a work by Christian reformer, theologian, and author Jonathan Edwards which uses the text of Romans 9:16 as its basis. It was first published in 1754 and examines the nature and the status of humanity's will. The book takes the classic Calvinist viewpoint on total depravity of the will and the need of humanity for God's grace in salvation. Although written long before the modern introduction and debate over Open Theism, Edwards' work addresses many of the concerns that have been raised today over this view. Edwards responded that a person may freely choose whatever seems good, but that whatever it is that seems good is based on an inherent predisposition that has been foreordained by God.

Divine Agency and Divine Action, Volume II

Divine Agency and Divine Action, Volume II PDF

Author: William J. Abraham

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 0198786514

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Annotation Argues that in order to understand divine action, one must begin with the array of specific actions predicated of God in the Christian tradition.

God's Own Ethics

God's Own Ethics PDF

Author: Mark C. Murphy

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 0198796919

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Part I. The ethics of an Anselmian being -- Anselmianism about God -- Is the Anselmian being loving? -- Is the Anselmian being morally good? -- The ethics of the Anselmian being I (promotion) -- The ethics of the Anselmian being II (respect) -- The argument from evil and the ethics of the Anselmian being -- Part II. God's ethics -- Worship-worthiness and allegiance-worthiness -- The good of religion and contingent divine ethics -- The argument from evil and God's contingent ethics

The Mystery and Agency of God

The Mystery and Agency of God PDF

Author: Frank G. Kirkpatrick

Publisher: Fortress Press

Published: 2014-02-01

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 1451479778

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There are two philosophical commitments requisite to Christian belief: that God is the ultimate mystery and that God is present and active in the world. Attempting to avoid the trappings of a radical distantiation and the immanent collapse of God and world, Frank Kirkpatrick argues for a theory of agency and action that preserves the mystery of God while providing a philosophically robust account of divine action in created time and space. Kirkpatrick proposes a way around the stalemates that have stymied thought on divine agency and enters into conversation with significant figures in systematic theology.

Divine Will and Human Choice

Divine Will and Human Choice PDF

Author: Richard A. Muller

Publisher: Baker Academic

Published: 2017-05-02

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1493406701

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This fresh study from an internationally respected scholar of the Reformation and post-Reformation eras shows how the Reformers and their successors analyzed and reconciled the concepts of divine sovereignty and human freedom. Richard Muller argues that traditional Reformed theology supported a robust theory of an omnipotent divine will and human free choice and drew on a tradition of Western theological and philosophical discussion. The book provides historical perspective on a topic of current interest and debate and offers a corrective to recent discussions.